February 20, 2011: Recipes for Using Candles

Continuing with the theme of a romantic February, I thought it would be appropriate to talk about candles. Most of us use them – I know I light at least one candle a day to add subtle scent to my house. I received the most wonderful candle for Christmas from my son and daughter-in-law last year. It's an expensive one from Bath & Bodyworks, made by Slatkin & Co., mint chocolate scented. I burned it daily for a while but then stopped because I didn't want it to end! It is the most luscious smell - you can just imagine eating a rich, decadent, chocolate-covered mint candy while it's burning. It's an incredibly realistic scent!

But I digress... Most of us, I would imagine, opt for the cheaper candles we aren't afraid to burn often. But even those can end up costing quite a bit if you're an avid candle burner.

Here, then, are some tips to make your candles last longer, stay fresh, and safely light them and extinguish them.

• Store your candles in the freezer when not using. They should last longer and drip less when you light them.
• Use plain rubbing alcohol to clean the outside surface.
• To repair a small break in a votive or taper, take the two pieces and run them under very hot water (you can also carefully use a lighter or match as long as you don’t melt the wax too much). Press the two pieces together to “glue”.
• When you blow out a candle, place your fingertip in front of your mouth before blowing; this prevents hot liquid wax from spraying onto surrounding surfaces.
• When lighting a canister candle with a wick too low to reach with a normal match, use a piece of dry spaghetti. Just light the end and use as a match.

One thing I want to do in the future that I haven’t done in a long time is make my own candles. I’ll be on a quest to find wick material soon. In the meantime, I’m saving the containers and remaining wax from candles whose wicks have burned too short to use. Stay tuned.

February 2, 2011: Homemade Air Fresheners

Looking for an inexpensive little gift for your friends or family this Valentine’s Day? Why not give them a homemade air freshener – a gift that’s always appreciated and used. They’re easy to make and the ingredients are inexpensive.

All you need to find are some ceramic or glass containers with a lid. I’ve used small little crocks, the kind with the wire bale closure, and these work really great. You could also use an apothecary-style or canning jar and put a pretty circle of fabric (cut the edges with pinking shears) over the lid and tie it around the neck with a ribbon.

Of course, since it’s Valentine’s Day, you will want to find some decorated containers – or you could just add an arrangement of heart stickers to the outside of a plain glass jar.

After you’ve made the air freshener, use a piece of pink or red satin to tie around the top rim and voila! You’ve got a lovely present that cost pennies but looks great.

Here’s the recipe.

Homemade Air Fresheners (courtesy of Linda Cobb, the Queen of Clean)

4 envelopes Knox unflavored gelatin
2 c. distilled water
Essential oil in scent of your choice (For Valentine’s Day, perhaps rose?)
2 T. salt
Food coloring (optional)

Boil one cup of the distilled water and add the gelatin packets. Stir until dissolved. Add 10 to 20 drops of the essential oil and the salt (to prevent mold – you can also use vodka but hey, that’s better for drinking!). Add food coloring if you wish (red is great for Valentine’s Day). Pour into containers and let them sit, undisturbed until the mixture cools and sets. Cover with the lid; open to smell the scent.

Tip: Use more essential oil to make the scent stronger. The scent tends to fade over time so these air fresheners are best used within a couple months.

If you’d like, you can also add pretty decorations such as glitter, confetti, leaves, etc. to the mixture – really looks nice if you are using a clear glass container.